Northwest NEWS

December 4, 2000

Sims vetoes Council's out-of- balance budget

SEATTLE - King County Executive Ron Sims last week vetoed the Council-approved budget in its entirety because it was $54 million out of balance. Sims also vetoed in its entirety the regular property tax levy and emergency medical services property tax levy, due to errors he said were in the levy calculation.
Sims said state law requires a balanced budget, and the budget the Council adopted spent far more than it would collect. Revenue ordinances had not yet been passed, and mistakes were made in property tax calculations that would mean shortfalls for the County's general fund and for emergency medical services (Medic One) according to Sims.